Andersen, long a favourite of East Coast music audiences, was presented with the ECMA for male solo recording of the year for his album Piggyback.

Nesbitt was honoured with the ECMA for gospel recording of the year for her album Anchored Roots.

This brings to eight the number of ECMA Awards presented thus far in Charlottetown.

Five music awards were presented Thursday night.

Measha Brueggergosman took home classical recording of the year honours for her album Nights and Dreams.

Singer-songwriter David Myles was awarded folk recording of the year for Turn Time Off.

The ECMA for roots/traditional group recording of the year went to the sister suo Ennis from Newfoundland and Labrador for Lessons Learned.

Singer-songwriter Dave Gunning took home the ECMA for roots/traditional solo recording of the year for his album A Tribute to John Allan Cameron.

Gypsophilia was awarded instrumental recording of the year for Sa-ba-daOW!.

The presentation of awards outside the gala awards ceremony is a new format for the East Coast Music Association. It was tried on a much smaller scale last year in Sydney.

The presentation of awards will continue throughout the day today at official showcase stages and partnered stages.

Those who work behind the scenes in the industry will be honoured during the industry awards brunch at the Delta Prince Edward.

But several of the ECMAs music awards will also be presented at that time.

Included in that number are the recordings for blues recording of the year, jazz recording of the year, pop recording of the year, R&B/soul single track recording of the year, DVD of the year and world recording of the year.

Highlights of the industry awards brunch will also include the presentation of the musician's acheivement award to Chas Guay of Charlottetown and the presentation of the Stompin' Tom Award to Elliott Wight of North River.

Elsewhere today the ECMAs for alternative recording of the year and rock recording of the year will be presented on the Molson Canadian Rock Stage just before 11 p.m.

The ECMA for loud recording of the year will be presented on the loud stage at Ise's.

An ECMA for country recording of the year will be presented at the Cavendish Beach Music Festival's country stage at Fishbones at 3:30.

The remaining eight awards will be presented at the gala awards ceremony Sunday night at Confederation Centre of the Arts.